Nepalese kukri knife
Kukri knife (khukuri) is a traditional Nepalese tool and weapon. These exotic knives are used by ordinary Nepalese peasants and elite units of the British Gurkhas and even some professional zombie hunters:) Following them, domestic tourists are increasingly adopting kukris. Therefore, if you are going on a tour of Nepal, be sure to buy such an ax knife - if not for personal use, then as a souvenir for friends.
The history of kukri is shrouded in mystery. Some believe that knives with a reverse curve came to Nepal with the Mongols, others see the merit of Alexander the Great in this, and still others consider the kukri to be the closest relative of the Turkish scimitar. But few people know that the true homeland of the best modern khukri knives is Germany. The fact is that in Nepal the ideal material for making knives is... Mercedes truck springs. However, in the 19th century they used used rails from India for the same purposes and no one complained either. And in general, unlike the Japanese katana, the Nepalese khukuri has a much more folk “character”. It’s almost an axe, and an axe, unlike a sword or sword, is needed not only by a warrior in battle, but also in everyday peasant life. They use it to cut bamboo, clear paths in the jungle, and cut meat. The thickness of the butt is about 10mm, the weight is appropriate.
Note the shaped notch at the base of the blade. It is called “cho” and has been a long-standing stumbling block for edged weapon experts. They came up with a huge number of versions explaining the purpose of this element - fixation in the sheath, capturing the enemy’s knife, blood flow. But the most plausible (and scientifically sound) hypothesis is that such a notch protects the blade from the occurrence of cracks caused by high metal stress during chopping blows on a hard target.
They also say that “cho” represents the trident of Shiva, or the mark of a cow’s hoof - a symbol of the goddess Kali. The Gurkha motto, by the way, sounds like “Jai Mahakali, Ayo Gorkhali” (victory for the great Kali, the Gurkhas are coming). The warlike Shiva is also marked on the handle of the knife - its shank symbolizes the all-seeing eye of the deity. And the short fullers (grooves) on the blade symbolize the arrows or sword of the same Shiva. This is such a divine weapon:)
The springs are not made of stainless steel, and the sparkling polished kukri rusts very quickly and easily. To avoid this, lubricant is often added to the sheath. The sheath for the Nepalese kukri is traditionally made rigid. They are made of wood, covered with buffalo skin, and the tip is bound with metal.
This sheath provides space to store two tiny auxiliary “knives.” Of these, only one is a real knife - the cardak (in the picture it is on the left). Cardak is designed for small and precise work, carving, kitchen work. The second “knife,” chakmak, is a piece of iron without any sharpening. In essence, the chakmak is a file - it can be used to correct the sharpening of the kukri and cardak itself. In addition, the chakmak was used as a crosshair, to strike a spark and make a fire.
Where to buy kukri?
Of course, the most authentic kukris are made and sold in Nepal. This does not mean that they are the best there (some American high-tech kukri may be lighter, stronger and more aesthetically pleasing), but authenticity and legendary status are worth a lot. For the most complete satisfaction, Indian tomahawks should be purchased directly from the Iroquois wigwam, and Nepalese kukris should be purchased in Nepal (and not on the Internet).
In Thamel (the tourist quarter of Kathmandu), kukris are sold on every corner - in antique shops, street vendors and, of course, in numerous specialty shops. It is in the latter that I recommend buying legendary knives - purely because of the greater selection. The assortment of such stores usually includes at least fifty different versions of khukri, differing in size, shape and richness of inlay. The average price of an average kukri (with a blade length of 30-40 centimeters) in a not too show-off design is $30 (approximately 3,000 Nepalese rupees).
How to take kukri out of Nepal?
The question of transporting a knife through customs arises for all potential buyers. Usually the first question to the seller is about the export permit. And do you know what customers hear in response? Don't worry! Simply load your kukri into your luggage (not your carry-on) and fly safely—Nepalese customs do not require any export paperwork. And the customs of Ukraine and Russia usually “let in” these popular Nepalese souvenirs without any problems. Our tourists have transported them this way many times and no questions have arisen. Purely theoretically (but in practice almost never), upon arrival to your homeland, especially vigilant customs officers may come after you. But even if this happens, most often it is possible to get rid of them with the help of spells like “this is not a bladed weapon, but a souvenir item.”
Since it is useless to demand any intelligible documents (except for a check or receipt) from Nepalese traders, then to be on the safe side, you can look for a certificate for a domestically produced khukri knife in advance, while still at home (they say the knife is not a combat knife, but a household knife). But this is paranoia, honestly. Just don’t buy too expensive knives, so that you won’t be mortally embarrassed to lose them at customs in case of fatal bad luck:)
Kirill Yasko, November 1, 2014
P.S. I almost forgot to warn you - during trekking in Nepal you will almost certainly not need such a large and heavy knife as a kukri. Therefore, you can safely postpone its purchase for post-trip shopping.